Governor Signs Paulin’s Landmark Medical Aid in Dying Act

After a decade of tireless advocacy, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) today announced her legislation, the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138), will become law in New York State. The legislation, which she authored and has championed, will provide terminally ill New Yorkers with the compassionate option to end unbearable suffering peacefully.

“This is truly historic for New York,” said Assemblywoman Paulin. “The Medical Aid in Dying Act will give New Yorkers the autonomy and dignity they deserve at the most vulnerable moment in their lives, and I am profoundly grateful to the Governor for her leadership.”

The Medical Aid in Dying Act allows terminally ill adults to request a prescription for medication they can choose to self-ingest to die gently in their sleep. New York will join twelve other states and Washington, D.C., including nearby New Jersey, Vermont, and Maine, in offering this end-of-life option.

The Medical Aid in Dying Act includes rigorous safeguards to ensure that the law is used appropriately and responsibly. Only mentally capable adults who have a prognosis of six months or less to live are eligible to use it, as verified by two independent physicians. The patient must also have a mental health evaluation to determine that they have decision making capacity. Patients must make a verbal request for medical aid in dying, as well as submit a written request which is witnessed by two individuals, neither of whom can be a relative, heir, or affiliated with an owner, operator, or employee of the health care a facility where the patient is receiving care. The witnesses must also have no financial interest in the patient’s estate. Patients must also record an audio or video request. Patients must be capable of self-administering the medication, ensuring that the final act is a voluntary and deliberate choice. Additionally, physicians are required to inform patients of all available end-of-life care options, including hospice and palliative care. These safeguards, modeled after those in place for decades in other jurisdictions, have proven overwhelmingly effective.

“This issue has always been deeply personal for me,” said Paulin. “My sister died a horrific death from ovarian cancer, and in her final days she was in pain so overwhelming that she begged for death. Her experience is, tragically, the story of so many others. Most people will never choose medical aid in dying, but they want the reassurance of having it as a compassionate safeguard that offers comfort even if it is never used.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, New York State Senate sponsor of Medical Aid in Dying Act, said, “Today, we make history. This agreement on Medical Aid in Dying is a monumental victory for every New Yorker who has wished to peacefully end their suffering from a terminal illness. Since we first introduced this legislation nine years ago, I have consistently said this bill is not about ending life, it's about shortening death. I’m proud that New York is now the 13th state, along with Washington, D.C., that will offer expanded end-of-life care so that terminally ill New Yorkers gain greater autonomy over how much pain and suffering they must endure. I want to thank Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, and Governor Kathy Hochul for her leadership and willingness to take on a difficult issue and help limit the suffering of New Yorkers. Most of all, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to those afflicted with a terminal illness and their families, who shared the heart-wrenching details of their end-of-life decision making in the hopes of improving the options for future generations. New York is a state of dignity and compassion for New Yorkers at all stages of life, and today's announcement proves just that.”

“The Medical Aid in Dying Act will allow for compassion and centering dignity and autonomy in end-of-life care,” New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said. “I would like to thank Assemblymember Amy Paulin for her hard and tireless work championing this legislation in the Assembly and finally providing terminally ill New Yorkers the option to go peacefully and on their own terms, not in pain and anguish.”

David Leven, Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Consultant, End of Life Choices New York, said, "That Governor Hochul will sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act into law is a major victory that will provide for compassionate relief for suffering, terminally ill patients. Assemblymember Amy Paulin, the lead sponsor of the Assembly bill, is largely responsible for passage of the bill. Her incredible tireless, relentless and vigorous advocacy for the bill over a decade resulted in yearly increases in the number of sponsors of the bill. This had such a positive impact that ultimately the legislative leaders also became sponsors of the bill, for which they too deserve much credit. Governor Hochul is to be praised for her compassion in agreeing to sign the bill for which we are very grateful."

Corinne Carey, senior campaign director for Compassion & Choices NY/NJ, said, “This law is the culmination of more than a decade of determined advocacy by thousands of New Yorkers, many of whom courageously shared their final months to help others. We honor the advocates we lost along the way and the families who stood beside them, whose suffering might have been eased had this option existed sooner. As the Medical Aid in Dying Act becomes law, it affirms compassion, love, family, and respect for personal autonomy. I’m grateful Governor Hochul listened to the voices of those most directly affected, and our next responsibility is clear: to ensure every New Yorker, regardless of where they live or their resources, can understand, trust, and access this option if they choose.”

“Today marks a major milestone in the fight for Medical Aid in Dying in New York,” said Mandi Zucker, Executive Director of End of Life Choices New York. “Governor Kathy Hochul is now giving terminally ill New Yorkers the option to end their lives with peace, dignity, and grace. This achievement would not have been possible without the leadership of Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Assemblymember Amy Paulin, and the tireless efforts of our staff, board, volunteers, and advocates. While this is a moment to celebrate, the work continues. We must now ensure robust education and collaboration so this law is implemented effectively and equitably for all New Yorkers in the months and years ahead.”

“I want to thank the extraordinary advocates who have spent a decade working tirelessly by my side to make this day possible,” Paulin added. “Their perseverance never wavered. I am also deeply grateful to my Senate co-sponsor, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, for his partnership throughout this long journey. With this law, New York will become the twelfth state, plus Washington DC, to embrace compassion at the end of life. This milestone will bring comfort to so many across our state.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sponsored the companion bill in the Senate.